


A "Lost" Hope

by liiiiiiizzzz



Category: Dangan Ronpa
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-06
Updated: 2016-05-28
Packaged: 2018-04-30 08:42:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5157389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liiiiiiizzzz/pseuds/liiiiiiizzzz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After escaping the School Life of Mutual Killing, Naegi Makoto, the world's "ultimate hope", comes up missing. Three years later, he is found by the Future Foundation and the friends he once saved.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

* * *

“Hello! Can you hear me? Someone please respond!” Komaru stopped speaking for a moment, listening to the static and waiting for someone to answer. “...Can you hear me? Please, respond! Can’t anyone hear me!? Someone, please, respond!!”

“Looks like it failed.” Nervously, Fukawa stepped in and patted the other’s shoulder, trying her best to be reassuring. “It can’t be helped. It’s a pity, but maybe you should give up—“

Suddenly, a voice could be heard on the other end. Through the static, a female voice could be heard. Fukawa jumped back, nearly stumbling over her two feet. “...Fu...Fou...tion”

Komaru jumped, slamming her hands on the table and shouting into the camera. “Hello!? Can you hear me!?”

The voice cleared up more. “I...ear..you.....hear….ou...This is the Future Foundation’s 14th branch...Future Foundation’s 14th branch….I am Kirigiri….. Kyouko.”

Fukawa quietly clicked her tongue. Obviously, she would be the one to pick up. Komaru’s eyes widened, but before she could speak, the other line spoke up.

“May I ask your name?” Kyouko studied the other, her eyes serious. Komaru nodded, stepping back from the computer and letting herself be a bit more visible.

“My name is Komaru. Naegi Komaru.” Fukawa was nearly having a heart attack by this point.

Kyouko’s eyes widened as well, before but her finger under her lip and crossing her arms. “…. I see. Do you by chance know a man by the name of Makoto?”

“Onii-chan?!” Komaru screamed, causing Fukawa to fall back in the background. She really was an idiot…! “You know my Onii-chan, Kirigiri-san?”

“More than just know.” Her voice was monotone. “Fukawa-san, have you not told Komaru-san the situation?”

Fukawa squeaked, before Komaru looked at her, her eyes annoyed. Fukawa stepped into frame, angry. “H-How did you know I was here?!”

“It was easy to figure out. You followed Togami-san to Towa City, and the numbers inputted to contact us were yours. Simply put, it came down to common sense.” Kyouko picked up on the situation through the screen. “So, have you not told Komaru-san the situation?”

“We’ve had bigger problems to worry about.” Fukawa said quietly, Komaru standing behind them, confused.

“Um—“ Komaru tried to speak up, before Kyouko continued.

“Have you learned any more on the situation, Fukawa-san?” Kyouko had gone into work mode. “Where are you currently contacting us from?” Fukawa groaned, rubbing her head.

“A building in Towa City…. Omaru, where are we?” Fukawa looked at Komaru who had been kind of distraught since the beginning.

“Uh--? Oh, um… Harmony Spire. We were told we could get wireless access from here…” She began, before realizing why she was confused. “Wait— How do you know my brother, Kirigiri-san?!”

“Fukawa-san was supposed to explain it to you, but…”Kyouko looked at Fukawa, her eyes angry, “It seems that is not the case.”

“Naegi…. Disappeared.” Fukawa slowly spoke.

“Disappeared?!” Komaru looked at Fukawa, then back at the camera. “What do you mean, disappeared?!”

Kyouko sighed. “After we left Hope’s Peak Academy and were picked up by the Future Foundation, he suddenly went missing. That is all we know at the moment.” She looked to the side. “We are currently looking for him, but it is not our highest priority. As of now, we can only assume he has been killed.”

“W-Wait… killed?! He’s dead?!” Komaru looked at Fukawa, her face telling that she needed answers. Fukawa was frozen. Komaru turned back to Kyouko, “What do you mean, assume?! And what’s Hope’s Peak Academy? Isn’t that where he went to school?!”

“Please understand, we are considering the worst case scenario. Makoto is strong enough to manage. Please, do not worry. We will find him. Your situation is dire at the moment. Can you inform me of what the current situation is? We know Togami-san has been captured by those ‘Warriors of Hope’. Can you inform me what else you know?”

Komaru began to explain, but kept the thought of her brother being dead in the back of her mind. She didn’t ask about anything else, but was explained of everything as the conversation went on. But… Her older brother was missing. She kept looking at Fukawa, her trust in her partner slowly fading.

"Fukawa-san..." She whispered to herself after they had lost connection. "What... happened in the past...?"

Fukawa sighed. "I'll... explain later." She muttered, fumbling around with her fingers. "We should... get out of here."

* * *

 

“Another report?” Togami sat in his chair, staring at a monitor and sighing. This was the 3rd one in a period of two weeks about these guys. Always showing up in random places, doing strange tasks, then not even giving a name. It was infuriating, especially since what they were doing was the job of the Future Foundation. He scrolled through the files he had been sent, definitely annoyed.

“Yes, sir.” One of the officials began to explain the report. “Kei has been spotted, but no one in the area has been able to explain to us what he looks like. Some report sightings of his partner, En.”

“What were they doing?” Togami clicked a few buttons, not bothering to look at the other.

“Some Monokuma bots were spotted in the area, and they were taken out by the duo. It seems they were taken out with a golf club and some rocks…. Strangely prehistoric weapons.” The official told Togami as he read off a piece of paper. “Refugees said that they were instructed not to tell anyone what they saw, but told us due to our authority in the area. However, several of them said he looked ‘cool’ and ‘handsome’.”

“Were there any physical reports about these men?” Togami finally looked at the other, with a glare that just read annoyed and frustrated.

“One of them was wearing a green hoodie, but that is all we were told.” The official gave his honest answer, but Togami was not amused. He put his elbows on the desk, rubbing his temples.

“Your information was the same as always, idiot.” Togami muttered, returning to the computer. Now that the Neo World program was wrapping up, he frankly had no work to do. It bugged the hell out of him, mostly because it kept his mind off things. “Unless you have something new, do not speak to me about this again.”

The official nodded, set the papers on his desk, and left. Togami picked up the papers and studied them for a minute. Those damned robots kept popping up in random locations. Kyouko and he only had to go out a handful of time, now that those two had returned from Towa City. He enjoyed that kind of thing too; being able to boss around others and destroy things. But… these guys kept doing his work. It infuriated him. The moment he met those two, he would have a stern talking to. And maybe show them how it was done.

The door opened once more, making Togami look up. “What do you want?” He said to the girl who had walked in, her gloves tucking her hair being her ear.

“We’ve been called out.” Kyouko began, grabbing a few things of her desk and tucking them in her pockets. “There has been intel sent in that a terrorist group is preparing to attack near a Foundation center in the Okayama prefecture. We’ve been called in assist with the protection of the center, as well as the people in the area. We leave in ten minutes.”

“You sound excited.” Togami smirked, crumpling up the reports into small balls and throwing them in the trash. He would worry about those idiots later. Right now, it was time to have some fun.

“Do I?” Kyouko responded, but didn’t look at the other. “I would rather Komaru and Fukawa be sent out, but they have other business to attend to. I have other things to work on.” Kyouko fixed her gloves, grabbing a hair tie and pulling her long, lavender hair into a high ponytail.

Togami fixed his suit coat, not responding to Kyouko’s retort. It had been 3 long years of dealing with her and the other idiots that surrounded him. It seemed they were making no progress in their plans, so now that they finally had time, Togami wanted to make sure his job was actually being done.

“Let’s go to the hanger.” Kyouko stated, grabbing her IDs and stepping out of the room, Togami following close behind.

* * *

 “So… this is Okayama?” Togami stepped off the plane, checking his watch and looking around. The cityscape that once was budding was now desolate. Buildings seemed abandoned, many of the famous shops now gone and looted. The tram no longer ran, of course, and neither did the trains. The air was still warm; it was summer, and the sun was setting.

“Perhaps we should get souvenirs for everyone.” Kyouko joked, checking over her megaphone, sighing. “If… there are any available.”

“You say that every time.” Togami clicked his tongue, adjusting his glasses. Some of the other officers stepped off the plane and began to greet the southern officials. Togami and Kyouko kept quiet, since the other men would introduce them. They had no time to waste. Once everyone was greeted, they began their walk to the center.

The city was slowly beginning to repopulate. No major activity was going on, as per the norm nowadays. They passed the once-grand statue of Momotarou and his companions, now slightly defaced and damaged due to the mass amounts of fighting. Anyone who was around watched them walk, making paths for them and definitely not getting in their way. The Future Foundation was seen as dangerous, or so it felt in this town. Togami kept glancing at his watch, while Kyouko looked around the city. Nothing to do, huh? She bit her lip, half listening to the conversation the others were having.

Then, she saw it.

Out of the corner of her eye, a young couple could be seen, running from a nearby building. They were panicking, as they almost stumbled a few times in their steps. Kyouko began to walk towards them as the couple noticed them, waving their arms and running towards them.Togami followed, groaning at the once again idiotic movements of his ‘partner’.

“What was that all about?!” Togami approached, noticing the couple as well. “They aren’t our priority. Let’s go—“

“Is everything alright?” Kyouko asked, pulling out her badge and ignoring Togami.

The couple could barely get their words out. The man spoke up first.

“There… There was bear…!” He said, nearly out of breath. “It… He… He protected us…”

Kyouko pulled out her gun. “Who is he?”

The female, who had been clutching the man’s hand the entire time, took a step forward. “We… were looking for help… He found us, but there was a bear. We managed to out run it… but it seems he was targeted…”

“Is he still inside?” Kyouko looked at the members who were staring at them, nodding so that they would come closer.

“We… don’t know…” The male pulled the girl closer. “We assume he ran into that building to create a divergence… We just… want to make sure he’s safe.”

“That’s enough.” Togami spoke, making his way into the building. “What floor?”

“S-Second.” The girl spoke up. “H-He’s a bit beaten… Might even be dead…”

Togami didn’t listen to the rest, before making his way inside. Of course, it hadn’t been maintained. Walls were crumbling, and dust particles could be seen in the air. The stairs were metal and squeaked when he stepped. Unmaintained and dirty; both things the heir was not fond of. Why was she always doing things like this? It reminded him too much of the moron that was missing—Sticking his nose in other’s business.

What even was he doing these days? In the most common scenario, he would be dead. Togami still didn’t comprehend why he ran off. The Foundation was their safest bet; proven in the last 3 years they had spent there. Makoto was always naïve, but that action took the cake. He walked down the dark hall, looking for the ‘man’ that the couple described. All the doors were closed, except for the one at the end of the hall. Togami had his megaphone ready to shoot, just in case. He didn’t know if the bear was still active. Using his foot, he opened the door, peeking in.

What he saw… What he saw… He couldn’t describe. His first instinct was to run in and see if his intuition was correct; could it be that moron? Certainly looked like him. Same dull haircut, same muddy red sneakers. But, he was also a lot taller than the idiot. A lot taller. He couldn’t figure out how much taller, but tall enough. He clicked his tongue, before running to the next room over, breaking down the door, and shouting down to Kyouko. The couple was with the other officials now, getting help, Kyouko speaking to the other officers.

“Oi, Kyouko!”He yelled, his upper body sticking outside the window, in a frenzy. “I need you!”

Kyouko ran into the building, two other men following her in. “What do you need?!”

“Next room over.” Togami said, pulling out his phone and pressing a few buttons. “Injured, wounded in the legs and lower stomach. Guess he’s lucky to be alive.”

Kyouko didn’t respond, but ran over. Who laid there caused her to freeze for a moment. Was it…? Once she took a deep breath, she went right to business. The blood hadn’t bothered her. Grabbing the edge of her skirt, she ripped a piece off, quickly wrapping it around the open wounds. “He’s barely here. Get the Foundation to prepare a room.”

Togami grunted. “Don’t tell me what to do.” He said under his breath, pulling out a walkie talkie from his belt. Kyouko continued to rip apart her clothes, trying to stop the bleeding from various places.

“We can confirm his identity later. Right now, he needs medical attention.” Kyouko wrapped her arms underneath him, lifting him up bridal style. He had gotten heavier… She didn’t mind, though.

“Preparations are underway.” Togami said after a moment, shooting the bear just for safety measures. “They will be ready when we arrive.”

Kyouko ran out of the room, Togami grabbing the bag that sat next to where the man once laid. It seemed things are going to get interesting… He smiled in thought, running out of the building behind her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoy this. I've taken a long time away from Hetalia, so this very much differs from my last story. I've spent a long time writing this, and I hope I get all the characterizations right!
> 
> **Okayama is a city and a prefecture in Southern Japan. It's where the famous story of Momoutaro took place! If you haven't heard of it, it's a really nice story.


	2. Chapter 2

As he opened his eyes, a pain from his side shot through him. He felt the urge to react, but every one of his muscles were too weak and exhausted to move. His head ached. Slowly, he raised his hand, gently rubbing his forehead. Cloth was wrapped around it. The cloth was damp. He wasn’t sure if it was from blood or sweat, but it didn’t matter. Right now, he just needed to figure out where he was at.

Makoto managed to gather some energy to lift himself up, so he could not only get a better view of where he was, but what type of condition he was in. He was in a hospital, obviously. An IV was hooked into his dirty arm, one square wiped clean with an antiseptic pad. He was shirtless, with a large bandage wrapped around his lower stomach. The pad was dry, as if changed recently. He lifted his hand and dragged it along the bandage, wincing when he ran over where he was obviously injured. He pulled back his hand in response to the shock of pain. Moving his eyes once more, he noticed his foot was elevated, wrapped in a tan bandage. It wasn’t in a cast, so it wasn’t broken. It just felt like a sprain. _I should probably stay put_ , he thought.

Next was to figure out where he was, as well as who owned this hospital. However, just looking around the room, there were no signs of an owner. The room was a plain hospital room; plain white walls, a fake plant in the corner. A chair was next to the bed, turned at an angle, as if someone was here recently. The curtain was pulled out. The table next to him had a few items on it, though. He turned his head. There sat a plain white mug, half filled with coffee, his various IDs, and some disheveled papers. He looked around the room once more,trying to find where his backpack was. He really didn’t mind if someone had stolen it, but something bugged him. Why did they take his backpack but leave behind his IDs…? Something was really off here. He took a deep breath, deciding to sneak a peek at the papers that were left behind.

He scanned over the words with his eyes, pausing when he saw two oh-so familiar names. There was no way, right? They were… They were in Tokyo, right? He’d… left them there. He read their names out loud, as if trying to reassure himself he wasn’t dreaming.

“Togami… Byakuya… Kirigiri... Kyou...ko…?” He stopped, studying them again. Those were two named that were etched into his memory. He set the papers next to him o the bed, looking up at the ceiling. How would he face them? After all this time, without any contact. It had been three years since they last met eyes… He had thought about how he would explain himself in case this ever happened. But, in the state he was in, it would be rather hard to apologize. He knew they would be mad. Extremely mad. And… they would have changed. Time does that… changes people. _Kyouko probably looked even more beautiful…_ He smiled, deciding to let whatever happens happens. “They finally caught me, huh?”

He flipped through the papers some more, seeing what exactly happened as it was explained there. He was found in an abandoned building, unconscious and nearly bled out. There seemed to be a broken Monokuma bot on the scene.. Didn’t he protect that couple? He wondered if they were safe too. He managed to knock it back as the bear hit him, if he remembered correctly. The Future Foundation picked him up and brought him here, quickly figuring out his identity. He seemed to be under their authority after capture, specifically Kirigiri and Togami’s division. At least it wasn’t with strangers…

As if someone was reading his mind, the sliding door opened. He could hear what was going on in the hallway. They seemed busy… Did that rogue bear get more people? he door slid shut. Makoto could only see the other’s shoes. Black dress shoes… and long pants. It was in the middle of summer… What kind of idiot would do that? He thought about it as the figure came back from behind the curtain, standing in front of the bed, one hand in his pocket, and the other checking his watch. “Finally awake. Took you long enough, runaway.”

Makoto smiled at the familiar figure. He could tell it was Togami, even with the bit of stubble and more authority. Togami hadn’t changed that much, from what he could tell. He still looked down on him, even though they were almost the same height now. He put the papers back on the table, keeping his focus on the other.

“Good morning, Togami-kun.” He said quietly, “It’s nice to see you, too.”

“Enough with the casual conversation. We have some questions for you.” He demanded, walking over to the table and taking the papers. “I assume you read over these.” He flicked the papers at Makoto.

“Y-Yeah…” He wouldn’t dare say that this was too much. “U-Um--”

“Good.” He set the papers back on the table, taking the mug and scoffing at the contents. Makoto studied it, trying to figure out how to respond.

“D-Did you leave that here?” He stuttered out, kind of nervous about everything. He honestly didn’t feel like answering questions, but would if he was forced to. Togami was always too hard to read. He took the mug and set it on the table on the other side of the room.

“We’ve been taking turns waiting for you to wake up. Kyouko is currently asleep.” Togami told him. Makoto mentally took a step back. They were so familiar, weren’t they? Maybe he’d lost his chance. Even if he did, he’d still do his best. Even if…He decided not to think about it.

“She’s here, too?” Makoto asked, watching Togami walk back over and sit in the chair next to him. He’d lost weight, or maybe just became more defined. His eyes were tired… he must be overworking himself.

“She carried you out of that building, idiot.” He grumbled, hitting the nurses button. “Do you want anything?”

“I-I’m fine…” He waved his hand, smiling sluggishly.

Togami crossed his legs, checking his watch again. Was… he feeling weird about this, too? It was a bit weird in here. It might of just been the time apart, but it might also have been the way they reunited.

“S-So--” He began, before Togami cut him off.

“You were unconscious for about three days.” Togami’ voice was quiet. “A couple ran towards us as we entered the city, saying there was a bear in the building where we found you. Though, I hoped we had never did. You made this much more complicated than it needs to be.” A nurse came in, looking at Makoto then at Togami. Togami asked for a fresh cup of coffee, telling her where the mug was. Makoto didn’t say anything. “We weren’t sure it was you, at first. We raided your backpack and located your IDs. Your other belongings are currently in our room.”

“Then… where are we?” Makoto asked.

“The local branch of the Future Foundation. They were expecting some sort of attack, so they had us come down here.” Togami sighed. “Where else would we be?”

“I… don’t know…” Makoto’s voice was quiet. What was he supposed to ask? “How is everyone doing?” He asked, trying to lighten the mood.

“Busy.” Togami cut right to the chase, as the nurse came back in with a cup of coffee and a cup of medication, long with a tall glass of water. Togami took the cup, sipping it quietly. The nurse stepped over to Makoto and handed him the pills and the glass, helping him take it. The nurse explained it was just some pain killers, which Togami nodded. Makoto decided to trust them, taking the pills. Maybe Togami was trying to make him more comfortable.

They sat there for a while, waiting for the medication to kick in. Makoto fell back into the pillow, staring up into the ceiling. Why did he feel out of place? Togami surely felt bothered by him… Maybe he should ask about that.

“Togami-kun--” He was cut off as the door opened again, this time a pair of high heels tapping across the tile floors. Makoto looked up. He saw a woman; her hair a soft shade of lavender, tied back in a long ponytail. It took him a moment to realize who it was. He stopped breathing for just a moment, before he muttered out her name.

“Kyouko…?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the shortness of this chapter. From this point on, the story mainly focuses on Makoto. Everything will be cleared up as the story goes on!


	3. Chapter 3

Makoto couldn’t believe it. Even without words, he could tell Kyouko had changed. She still looked the same—Same lavender hair, same skin color. But, her expression had changed. The way she walked and the way the stood to look at him. It felt strange, as if seeing an ex-lover after years apart. He really didn’t know where to start He wasn’t even sure if he could look her in the eye. He knew he couldn’t. After all their time apart… It wouldn’t be right.

“You surely took your time.” Togami stated, standing up. “Your shift began 20 minutes ago. Wasting my time is one of your favorite hobbies, isn’t it?” He walked close to her, bending down to whisper something in her ear. They were silent for a few moments. Kyouko crossed her arms as he pulled away, looking away from his menacing gaze. Makoto knew time could change people, but… To think Kyouko had the ability to change so much. Her expressions, her mannerisms, and her feelings. Three years truly changed everything. Togami turned back to Makoto, slightly lifting his chin. “You better be prepared for some serious punishment, Naegi.” He strongly stated, using plenty of confidence behind each his words. Makoto couldn’t look at him. The guilt had already started to hit him the moment Kyouko entered the room. Sure, it wasn’t despair…. But it hurt just as much. With a smug smirk, Togami walked out of the room, leaving the door open a crack behind him. 

The two of them were left alone, for the first time in so long.

Kyouko stood there for what felt like a while, as if she was trying to figure out how to go about the situation. Makoto did just the same, honestly. He stared at his hands, afraid to look her in the eye. He abandoned them. He only left them a note that they should do what the felt was right. Whatever hope they found…. They should grab it and run with it.  
There were so many things he wanted to say to her. How he never forgot her, how he found his own hope, how he never forgot how he—

“Searching for hope... Making it one's goal to find hope...” She stated quietly, looking back at him. “That's what hope itself is all about.” Her words were filled with a painful nostalgia. The way they rolled off her tongue felt as if they were meant to pull at his heart, making it impossible to retort without his guilt overflowing. Makoto looked up at her, even so. Expecting to see her stoic, unmoved expression. The expression he fell in love with all those years ago. The love he was too afraid to fight for now. But…  
Her smile was gentle and forgiving. It was one filled with warmth. She took a step forward towards the bed. “As long as that kind of hope exists… mankind can overcome any predicament.” She finished, fixing her skirt then sitting on the chair next to him. Makoto followed her with his eyes as she sat, before looking away again. 

“S-Sorry, Kyo—“ He stopped, before speaking quietly. “K-Kirigiri-san.” He couldn’t speak any louder. Any louder and the ache in his stomach, full with so many complex emotions.  
“Makoto.” She lifted her gloved hand, setting it on top of his. Makoto’s head turned quickly, blushing at her touch. For it to be so gentle, after all the trouble he caused for them… Did she become even harder to read?

“S-Sorry… K-Kyouko.” He whispered, squeezing his hands into two tight fists. “I’m sorry… For everything…”

“Do you remember what you said?” She said quietly, pulling back her hand. “’It's our world... and that's why we must live in it.’”

Of course he remembered. Those words were said when they left Hope’s Peak for the final time. Giving everyone their hope at the time… Making them prepare for whatever faced ahead, and to face it with a smile. That was the hope they all shared. Their world was now dark and desolate. They had to cling on to the lights inside of them, and let them grow. Because… those were the lights that would change the world. “Y-Yeah.” He said quietly.

“Did you enjoy living in the world, Makoto?” She asked with no menace. In fact, her words with filled with comfort. A gentle kindness that surely, only Makoto would only be able to feel. “Or… Did you find this world terrifying?”

“Both, I would say.” He cracked a smile, his gaze averted back to his hands. “The world… really is vast, Kyouko. Terrifyingly vast.” 

Kyouko didn’t say anything else for a while. She kept quiet, not letting go of his hand. The evening sunset poured into the room, making everything glow with an orange hue. Dust  
particles were floating in the air, drifting along though the silence between them. He listened to Kyouko’s breaths, trying to match with his own. The silence was… nice. It was peaceful for the two of them, after both had been through hell and back. Kyouko only sat there. She didn’t move. Perhaps the sunlight felt freeing to her. Maybe she just wanted to have a moment of quiet. Makoto wasn’t sure. Until she spoke up.

“I won’t press you for answers now, Makoto.” She said quietly, lifting her head and looking at him. “You had your reasons for running off on your own. Perhaps it was for the better. But… Maybe it was because you were on your own, you were able to find something you needed.”

Makoto nodded. She was right. He was searching for something… And after all that time, it felt like he found his answer. Even if he didn’t know the question yet, or couldn’t pin point when it was answered. But… He knew it was the right thing for him. For all of them. “S-Sorry, Kyouko. I’m… back now, so you don’t need to worry.” He muttered, letting his hand relax. “I’ll… answer anything you want me to.”

“Not right now.” Kyouko restated. “You’re far too injured to even be moving around this much. You need to lay still.” 

“I-I haven’t moved, Kyouko--!” He retorted, sitting up quickly. A pain shot through his side. He winced, falling back into the pillow. Why did he get so worked up? He didn’t even know. 

“See?” Kyouko tilted her head, hitting the nurses button. “You’ll need to be checked now. Of course, I will stay until they are done.”

“You’re leaving?” Makoto asked, his eyes full of desperation.

“Only for a little while.” Kyouko lifted her hand, crossing her arms. “I have to contact some people and make arrangements for your flight back to Tokyo.”

“F-Flight--? You mean, a plane…?” Makoto froze up. He refused to fly in a plane. No matter how injured. He’d be fine in a car, but… not a plane.

“It’s the safest way for you to get to the main headquarters. They’re better equipped to treat you.” She told him, the nurse coming in out of breath. Kyouko nudged her head towards his injury, where a little bit of red could be seen. The nurse nodded, running back off to get some supplies. “You were giving stitches, so it shouldn’t scar. It will take some time to heal, though.”

“S-Sorry for the trouble, Kyouko.” He told her, giving her a weak smile. “I’ll be on my feet soon, so you don’t have to worry.”

Kyouko smiled, standing up. “You haven’t changed a bit, Makoto.” She joked, looking at him. “Welcome back, Makoto.”

“I’m home, Kyouko.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while... I decided I wanted to change a few things, so I redid this chapter and will hopefully write more soon!! I hope everyone is in character still, especially Kyouko. Although I have quite a hang of Makoto, It's very hard to write her, for some reason. To those who can: I worship you. Hope you enjoy!


	4. Chapter 4

“He already left?” Makoto tilted his head to the side, waiting for Kyouko to finish peeling an orange for him. He wasn’t allowed to move much, doctor’s orders. He could only hope Kyouko didn’t mind doing this for him. It felt strange to him, having someone else do such a simple task. He had been here for three days now, lying in the same bed, the scenery really never changing. They had taken him off the IV, and he could begin to eat normally again. It felt like things were falling into a pattern of normalcy once again, something Makoto never minded. 

 

“Togami-kun had other things to handle in Tokyo.” She was quiet, putting the broken up peel on the table beside him. It smelled sweet and refreshing, making his mouth water. But, he couldn’t force her to rush it. It was nice spending time with her, especially with how busy this place had been. She set the final piece of peel on the table, pushing the ends of the orange together and watching them fall into equal pieces. “He will meet us when we return. You did ask for your return to be kept secret, so he will need to take measures.”

 

Makoto chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck with a free hand. “T-Thanks for that, Kyouko…” He mumbled. He didn’t want to tell anyone yet. He wanted to face them himself, revealing everything to everyone when they all gathered. To face them all… Hagakure-kun, Asahina-san, Fukawa-san…. Komaru. It would be hard. But… he needed to do it. He didn’t want his triumphant arrival ruined by someone spoiling it. Kyouko picked up a piece of orange and stuck it in his mouth.

 

“No moving.” She reminded him, letting go of the piece and putting her hand back in her lap. Makoto nodded, returning his hand back to a more resting position, chewing on the piece of orange. It was refreshing… After all this water he’d been forced to drink, something like this was needed. “We do not need another broken stitches episode.”

 

“S-Sorry, Kyouko…” He mumbled, swallowing the last bite of the orange slice. “I… I won’t move as much.” He smiled, looking back at her. “Besides, if I don’t move, you can take care of me!”

 

She stared at him for a long moment. Makoto’s smile quickly faded, before looking away, cheeks turning a slight pink. That serious face of hers always got him. He couldn’t say that, through. He just…. Loved that look. Because it was everything he was lacking in himself. A serious side, able to take the terror and despair of this world without showing the pain it caused. He couldn’t help but be jealous, and admire her strength from afar. He never stopped wondering about her, all this time. Three days wasn’t enough to make up for three years apart, and he knew that. He chose to take it slow… And see if anything was going on between the two of them.

 

“Either way,” Kyouko suddenly spoke, picking up the next piece of him. “I’m sure everyone will be excited to see you are well. Or…. alive, at the most.” She noted holding out the piece. Makoto turned back to face her, opening his mouth. She placed it inside, smiling slightly. “It will relieve a burden on them.”

 

He chewed, taking that word in. A burden… huh? He… probably caused a lot of burdens for them. After all, he was the one who ran away without a word. A symbol of hope like him, running off, almost as if he was afraid to face the future he set in front of him… A joke, really. Something like that could have easily been a burden on the people he left behind. But… He was safe now! And, as she just said… He swallowed the piece. “A burden… Guess that’s a good way to put it.” He shifted his body resting on the pillows, turning back to face her. “What are they all doing, anyways? I-I mean, I’m assuming you all have your own jobs.”

 

“We do.” Kyouko picked up her mug of tea that was sitting on the table and took a sip. “We all mostly do the same jobs, but are sent out to different places.” She set the mug back down, picking up the next piece. “Asahina-san and Hagakure-san are partners, then Fukawa-san and Komaru-san, then Togami-kun and myself.” She held the piece out. “We all work together, but in different departments.”

 

As soon as he heard the word partners, he froze for a moment. He knows it wasn’t meant romantically. But, something inside him… Whatever confidence he had seemed to vanish. They had been together, all this time… Learning more about each other, backing each other up…. Maybe he didn’t have a chance…

 

“Makoto?” She tilted her head, raising her voice to make Makoto snap back to reality. He looked up at her, a weak smile. 

 

“Y-Yeah.” He bent over slowly to take the orange from her. “So… you all do the same thing? Recon, or whatever?”

 

“Somewhat. Fukawa-san and Komaru-san are quite good at this kind of thing. Asahina-san and Hagakure-san are better behind the scenes, and you might say Togami-kun and myself dabble in both.” She explained. “Of course, we are rarely sent out on missions together. We tend to work alone unless something proves dangerous, or the leaders above myself say we must go out together.”

 

Makoto nodded. “So… you’re everyone’s boss?”

 

“Technically. However, I do not like calling myself such. Asahina-san and Hagakure-san are in a different division, as well.” She began to gather the orange peel into a small pile. “I am mainly the other three’s boss.”

 

Makoto chuckled. “I would’ve been worried if Togami-kun was your leader. He’s too bossy.”

 

Kyouko cracked a smile. “He’s tried to overrun me several times, but I refuse to budge. I believe he learned his place.”

 

Makoto rubbed his eye. “Still… It seems like you’re all doing well.”

Kyouko picked up the peels and set them on the napkin. “When you see all of them, I believe they will say the same thing.”

 

“Yeah…” He said quietly, rubbing his wound. “I could be better, but there’s not much I can do.”

 

“That’s why you have to get better. And why we’ll be returning you by helicopter.” She told him, standing up. “Even if you do not like flying.”

 

“Y-You can still read me, huh….?” His laugh was sarcastic.

 

“An open book never changes.” She stated, before looking back at him. “I have some work I need to return to. Call me if you need me.”

 

“Understood, boss.” Makoto nodded. “No moving right?”

 

She nodded, before leaving the room. Makoto fell back into the bed, staring at the ceiling. “Everyone wants to see me… huh?” He said quietly to himself, staring at the IDs that sat on the table next to Kyouko’s mug. “I guess that’s probably the case… Just a little longer, everyone. I’ll… be back soon.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a small update for now!! i have a con in a week, so im right in the middle of preparing! i hope you all enjoy!
> 
> small things to note  
> \- since this is an AU story, i decided to toss aoi and hagakure in the same divison (in DR3 hagakure is in the 14th and aoi in the 13th)  
> \- i do plan on adding DR3 characters once we get to know them a bit more!  
> \- this story will not include the events of the final killing game. everyone is alive.


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